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Augusta man’s probation revoked in robbery cases

Erick Porter spent 10 years behind bars for armed robbery. He was free less than a year before he was arrested for robbery by intimidation.

On Thursday, Richmond County Superior Court Judge Michael N. Annis ordered Porter’s return to prison for three years, six months and 23 days, all the time that remained on his sentence.

Porter, 26, was arrested within an hour of the 7 a.m. Aug. 20 holdup of the Fast Gas station on Gordon Highway. Richmond County Sheriff Deputy Caleb Pye was nearby when the call went out about the robbery. On the way there, he spotted a white man but left him alone because the description said the man was dressed in red. The man was shirtless. Pye noticed a tattoo on his upper back, he testified.

When Pye watched the store’s video recording of the robbery, he recognized the tattoo as the same on the shirtless man. Pye and his partner found Porter in a hotel room within walking distance of Fast Gas.

Officers found in the room several money bands in the trash and $1,790 in the night stand, Investigator John Perkins testified.

Porter was willing to plead guilty to the new robbery charge but had not been indicted yet.

Porter was just 15 years old when he robbed a Family Dollar in December 2006. Annie Calhoun of the state’s Department of Community Supervision testified Porter had been doing well on probation until August. He had been working but was laid off.